Megan Clark
AC, FTSE
Megan Clark in 2010
Head of the Australian Space Agency[1]
In office
15 May 2018 – 28 January 2021
Preceded byNew Office
Succeeded byEnrico Palermo
Chief Executive of the CSIRO
In office
1 January 2009 – 19 November 2014
Preceded byGeoff Garrett
Succeeded byLarry Marshall
Non-exec Director of Rio Tinto Group
Assumed office
November 2014[2]
Personal details
Born
Megan Elizabeth Clark

1958 (age 65–66)
NationalityAustralia Australian
SpouseTrent Hutchinson
Alma materUniversity of Western Australia
Queen's University
OccupationGeologist

Megan Elizabeth Clark AC, FTSE is an Australian geologist and business executive, former director of the CSIRO, and former head of the Australian Space Agency.[3]

Early life and education

Clark was educated at Presbyterian Ladies' College, Perth. Clark was awarded a BSc (Hons) in Economic Geology at the University of Western Australia in 1981, and a Doctorate in Economic Geology at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario in 1987.

Career

She began her career as a mine geologist and subsequently worked in mineral exploration, mine geology, R&D management, venture capital and technical strategy areas with Western Mining Corporation. Clark also worked in a corporate venture fund with Advent International in Boston.[4][5]

She was then a director of Rothschild & Co (Australia) and was Vice-president Technology and subsequently Vice-president Health, Safety, Environment, Community and Sustainability with BHP from 2003 to 2008.[6][7]

Clark was a member of the prime minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council, as well as the prime minister's Taskforce on Manufacturing. She is also a commissioner on the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.[8][9][10]

In 2009 she was appointed Chief Executive of the CSIRO, making her its first female chief executive.[8][11][12] Under her leadership CSIRO was credited for a number of new ventures, including wireless research.[13][14]

Since 2014, she has been a non-executive director of Rio Tinto.[12] As a Rio Tinto board member, she began serving as chairman of the Sustainability Committee in May 2016, and has become a member of the Remuneration Committee with effect from 1 May 2016.[15]

Clark was one of the Directors of Rio Tinto in May 2020 when the mining company deliberately destroyed the Australian Aboriginal sacred site at Juukan Gorge – the only inland site in Australia to show signs of continuous human occupation for over 46,000 years. Ten months after the event, and following a significant protest vote against Clark, with more than a quarter of shareholders voting against her re-election,[16] she admitted to feeling regret, saying "it is hard to even explain the level of hurt and shame that we feel and the shame that I personally feel."[17] The Rio Tinto board noted in response to the vote that "Rio Tinto acknowledges that the reduced vote for Dr Clark's re-election compared to previous years reflects the fact that, as chair of the Sustainability Committee at the time that the rock shelters at Juukan Gorge were destroyed, Dr Clark shares accountability for the failings in the areas of communities and social performance that led to those events occurring."[18]

On 14 May 2018, it was announced that she would head the Australian Space Agency, after leading the 2017 review into Australia's space capabilities.[19][20]

Awards

In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours List, Clark was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), for "eminent service to scientific research and development through fostering innovation, to science administration through strategic leadership roles, and to the development of public policy for technological sciences".[21][22][23]

Personal life

Clark is married to Trent Hutchinson who is also a graduate of Queens University.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Australian Space Agency executive". Department of Industry. Canberra. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  2. ↑ "Search begins for new CSIRO Chief Executive" (Press release). CSIRO. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Mannheim, Markus (9 June 2014). "Queen's birthday honour for CSIRO chief Megan Clark". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Megan Clark". The Conversation. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "Executive Profile: Megan Elizabeth Clark AC, PhD, BSc (Hons), PhD Hon, DSc Hon, DApSc, FT". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  6. ↑ Clark, Megan (14 October 2011). "ANU Conferring of Degrees – presentation by Dr Megan Clark". Explore CSIRO. CSIRO. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  7. ↑ Dr Megan Clark, Chief Executive, CSIRO, 21 January 2014, archived from the original on 26 June 2014{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. 1 2 "Megan Clark AC". Rio Tinto Limited. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Ryan, Siobhain (4 September 2008). "CSIRO discovers its new chief at BHP". The Australian. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  10. ↑ "DIISR Website". Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  11. ↑ Ker, Peter (20 November 2014). "Outgoing CSIRO chief Megan Clark AC joins Rio Tinto board". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  12. 1 2 Donaldson, David. "CSIRO appoints venture capitalist Larry Marshall as new CEO". The Mandarin. No. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "New director for Rio Tinto former CSIRO executive Megan Clark AC". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  14. ↑ "Sunday Profile: Dr Megan Clark, CEO of CSIRO". Radio National. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  15. ↑ "Junior Mining Network – Rio Tinto completes sale of interest in Bengalla Joint Venture for US$616.7 million; Board Changes". juniorminingnetwork.com. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  16. ↑ "Rio Tinto hit by huge protest vote on executive pay over Juukan destruction". Australia: ABC News. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  17. ↑ Aston, Joe (25 March 2021). "The shame of Rio Tinto director Megan Clark". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  18. ↑ Simmons, David. "Rio Tinto shareholders vote in protest against remuneration of former CEO". Business News. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  19. ↑ "Shooting for the Moon: New space agency boss predicts big things for Australian industry". ABC News. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  20. ↑ Dan Conifer (13 July 2017). "Space agency on the cards as Government announces review of Australia's capabilities". ABC News. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  21. ↑ "Companion (AC) in the General Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF). 8 June 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  22. ↑ "Search Australian Honours: CLARK, Megan Elizabeth", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 25 January 2020
  23. ↑ "Outgoing CSIRO Chief Megan Clark to join Rio Tinto board – International Women in Mining". internationalwim.org. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  24. ↑ "Trinity Congratulates: Queen's Birthday Honours" (PDF). The Trinity Grammarian. Vol. 29. July 2014. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2015.

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